Feds fund Hennepin County project

Washington, D.C. – US Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) secured another two major appropriations for the Fifth District - $500,000 to help develop a new transit hub in downtown Minneapolis and $250,000 to begin planning for the Bottineau Transitway, a new light rail line between downtown Minneapolis and the Northwest Suburbs.“Affordable, reliable and state-of-the-art transportation systems are one of my top priorities here in the Congress,” said Ellison. “Our economy depends on our ability to get where we need to, when we need to, in the least amount of time. Furthermore, Minneapolis is an international city and our transportation system must reflect that as well,” he said.

The $500,000 appropriation will be used to develop a new transit-hub located in downtown Minneapolis that will serve as a center for current and future commuter and light rail lines (LRT). The $250,000 appropriation will be used to help pay for the planning of a potential light rail line that extends from Downtown Minneapolis through North Minneapolis and into the Northwestern Suburbs including Robbinsdale, Crystal, Brooklyn Park, Osseo and Maple Grove.

“We appreciate Congressman Ellison’s great work and leadership in jump-starting the development of the intermodal transit hub in downtown Minneapolis,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. “It will be an operational hub in late fall when Northstar Commuter Rail and Hiawatha LRT meet. These funds will start the detailed planning for the bigger and better hub that will be needed when Central, Southwest, and Bottineau are completed.”

"I could not be more pleased to have this provision included for the Bottineau Transit project and thank Congressman Ellison for his leadership," said Hennepin County Board Chair Mike Opat. "This appropriation will take us one step closer to building a major transit investment and transportation equity in the North Minneapolis and northern suburban communities."

These appropriations are included in the draft House Transportation and Housing, Urban, Development Appropriations bill.

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